A large and intense area of low pressure lifted northward through the central Appalachians, dragging a strong cold front toward southern South Carolina and southeast Georgia. The combination of the approaching cold front along with strong dynamic forcing and plenty of instability resulted in a widespread organized severe weather outbreak across the region.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS CHS wrote it up.
A large and intense area of low pressure lifted northward through the central Appalachians, dragging a strong cold front toward southern South Carolina and southeast Georgia. The combination of the approaching cold front along with strong dynamic forcing and plenty of instability resulted in a widespread organized severe weather outbreak across the region.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Charleston, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 15, 6:56 PM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
756 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008
.SYNOPSIS...
A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST AND MOVE THROUGH
THE AREA TONIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD NORTH OF THE REGION
MONDAY AND TUESDAY. ANOTHER SYSTEM IS POSSIBLE TOWARD MID
WEEK...FOLLOWED BY A RETURN OF HIGH PRES BY THE END OF THE WEEK.
&&
.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM SUNDAY MORNING/...
PER COORDINATION WITH SPC...EXPANDED PDS TORNADO WATCH SOUTH INTO
ALL SE SC COUNTIES AND INTO SE GA COUNTIES NORTH OF I-16.
AS OF EARLY SATURDAY EVENING...MULTIPLE SUPERCELLS WERE
PUSHING INTO TORNADO WATCH AREA. SCENARIO CONTINUES TO APPEAR
DANGEROUS...WITH A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT TORNADOES...VERY
LARGE HAIL PERHAPS REACHING GOLF BALL SIZE OR LARGER...AND
STRONG/DAMAGING WIND GUSTS EXCEEDING 70 MPH THIS EVENING.
HAIL....
SIGNIFICANT COOLING WITH HEIGHT ABOVE A LOW LVL INVERSION AND
ROTATING UPDRAFTS FAVOR LARGE HAIL THIS AFTERNOON. DRY AIR ALOFT
HAS CONTRIBUTED TO STEEP MID LVL LAPSE RATES AROUND
-7.5C...ALLOWING TEMPS TO COOL TO -17C AT THE 500MB. COOLING OF
THIS SIGNIFICANCE HAS CONTRIBUTED TO LARGE AMOUNTS OF CAPE...404
J/KG...IN THE HAIL GROWTH ZONE. WITH CAPE VALUES OF THIS MAGNITUDE
AND WBZ HEIGHTS AND FREEZING LVLS OF 8K FT AND 10.5K FT
RESPECTFULLY...HAIL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER IS NOT OUT OF THE
QUESTION FOR SEVERAL AREAS...AND HAD ALREADY BEEN OCCURRING
UPSTREAM SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
WIND....
TREMENDOUS DAMAGING DOWNBURST/MICROBURST POTENTIAL EXISTS WITH
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AS A LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM CONTINUES TO TRACK EAST NORTHEAST THIS AFTERNOON
AND DEVELOPMENT ENHANCES. DRY MID LVL AIR ASSOCIATED WITH AN
INVERSION WILL ENHANCE EVAPORATIONAL COOLING DURING THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY AND PROMOTE STRONG DOWNBURST POTENTIAL...LEADING TO
POTENTIALLY DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. DCAPE VALUES AROUND 750
J/KG SUGGEST DOWNBURST POTENTIAL AS WELL...ESPECIALLY DURING
HEAVIER THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. ADDITIONALLY TO SOUNDING DATA...THE
EFFECTS OF DRY AIR ARE CURRENTLY SEEN UPSTREAM AS THE MCS
CONTINUES TO PUSH INTO THIS DRYER AIR AND IS BEGINNING TO BREAK UP
INTO MORE DISCRETE TYPE CELLS.
OUTSIDE THUNDERSTORMS...STRONG/PERSISTENT PRESSURE FALLS N/NW OF
THE REGION WILL SUPPORT SW WINDS SUSTAINED 25-35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO
AT LEAST 40 MPH THROUGH THIS EVENING. THUS...ISSUED A WIND
ADVISORY FOR ALL COUNTIES UNTIL 11 PM.
TORNADOES....
REGION OF 0-1 KM STORM RELATIVE HELICITY 300-500 M2/S2 WAS FOLLOWING
IMPRESSIVE SUPERCELLS TOWARD TORNADO WATCH 120. THUS...THE
POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR SIGNIFICANT TORNADOES THIS EVENING.
LFCS/LCLS BELOW 1000M TO BE INCORPORATED IN THUNDERSTORM
UPDRAFTS.
SIGNIFICANT DRY AIR IS SWEEPING IN FROM THE SOUTHWEST AS SEEN IN WATER
VAPOR IMAGERY. AT THIS POINT...HAVE MAINTAINED CHANCE POPS FOR
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS MAINLY THE NORTHERN TWO THIRDS OF THE
FORECAST AREA BEGINNING LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING AND
CONTINUING UNTIL AROUND MIDNIGHT. ALL THE INGREDIENTS FOR
ORGANIZED SUPER CELLS AND BOW ECHOES CONTINUE TO BE
EVIDENT...INCLUDING AMPLE INSTABILITY...STRONG WIND PROFILE AND
SHORTWAVE ENERGY. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE SOUTHERN END OF THE
MCS ACROSS UPSTATE SC AND NC FOR FURTHER ENHANCEMENT...AS
DEVELOPING STORMS ALONG THE TRAILING LINE MAY CARRY THE BEST
POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS THE CHS FORECAST AREA.
LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL QUICKLY EXIT THE MID ATLANTIC COAST
OVERNIGHT...WITH THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT PASSAGE BY 12Z SUNDAY.
HAVE ENDED ALL PRECIP/TSTM CHANCES BEFORE DAYBREAK SUNDAY. BREEZY
CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST TONIGHT WHILE A STRONG LOW LEVEL JET
PASSES OVER THE REGION.
LAKE WINDS...A LAKE WIND ADVISORY WILL BEGIN EARLY THIS EVENING...AS
THE LOW LEVEL JET INCREASES WITH COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE TONIGHT.
SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL SURGE UP TO 20 KT OVER THE LAKE...WITH GUSTS
UP TO 25 KT.
&&
.SHORT TERM /6 AM SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM SUNDAY/...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL QUICKLY BUILD IN FROM THE NORTH BEHIND THE
DEPARTING COLD FRONT. NO SIGNIFICANT COLD ADVECTION IS EXPECTED
BEHIND THE FRONT ON SUNDAY. RAPIDLY DRYING CONDITIONS WILL ALLOW
FOR FULL SUNSHINE BY THE AFTERNOON. SUNNY SKIES COMBINED WITH SOME
DOWNSLOPE FLOW WILL ALLOW HIGH TEMPERATURES TO RISE INTO THE LOWER
70S NORTH TO THE MID 70S SOUTH. WINDS WILL REMAIN BREEZY WITHIN AN
ENHANCE PRESSURE GRADIENT BETWEEN THE LOW SYSTEM OFFSHORE AND THE
HIGH PRESSURE TO THE WEST.
LAKE WINDS...LOW LEVEL JET WILL DECREASE SUNDAY MORNING...THUS
LAKE WIND ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE BY NOON.
&&
.LONG TERM /SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
SPRAWLING HIGH PRESSURE CENTERED WELL NORTH OF THE REGION WILL
PROVIDE TRANQUIL CONDITIONS THROUGH TUESDAY. ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE
WILL PASS NW OF THE REGION AND WILL PULL A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE
AREA AROUND MIDWEEK. UPPER RIDGING ALONG THE SE COAST SHOULD LIMIT
PRECIP POTENTIAL WITHIN THE WAA REGIME IN ADVANCE OF THIS SYSTEM
TUESDAY/TUESDAY NIGHT...THUS LIMITED THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS/
THUNDERSTORMS TO WEDNESDAY/WEDNESDAY NIGHT. ALSO...IF THE COLD FRONT
AND ASSOCIATED CONVECTION IS DELAYED UNTIL LATER WEDNESDAY...
TEMPERATURES COULD PUSH TO AROUND 80F AT MANY INLAND LOCATIONS.
THEN...LATEST TRENDS SUGGEST THAT THE COLD FRONT AND ASSOCIATED
MOISTURE WILL HAVE CLEARED THE REGION BY THURSDAY...WITH HIGH
PRESSURE THE MAIN FEATURE INTO NEXT WEEKEND.
&&
.AVIATION /00Z SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH POSSIBLE TORNADOES AND HAIL ARE QUICKLY
MOVING EAST TOWARD KCHS THIS HOUR. HAVE ADDED A TWO-HOUR TEMPO
GROUP TO THE 00Z KCHS TAF TO INDICATE TSTMS BETWEEN 00Z AND
02Z...AS THESE STORMS COULD BE AT THE TERMINAL WITHIN AN HOUR.
THESE STORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING TORNADOES AND LARGE
HAIL...IN ADDITION TO GUSTY WINDS AND IFR VSBYS. STORMS ARE
REMAINING NORTH AND WEST OF KSAV AT THIS POINT...SO HAVE ONLY
MENTIONED CB IN THE 00Z KSAV TAF. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR RADAR
TRENDS AND MAKE NECESSARY UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.
FEEL THAT CIGS WILL MOSTLY BE VFR DURING THE FIRST 12 HOURS...WITH
MVFR CIGS BRIEFLY POSSIBLE NEAR TSTMS. AFTER THIS LINE OF STORMS
MOVES THROUGH THE AREA DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS...CONDITIONS WILL
GRADUALLY IMPROVE. STILL EXPECT GUSTY WINDS UNTIL AFTER
MIDNIGHT...AFTER WHICH WEST WINDS WILL BE AROUND 10 TO 15 KT AT
BOTH TERMINALS. WIND SHEAR LOOKS MARGINAL AND WILL BE HIGHLY
DEPENDENT ON HOW MUCH SPEEDS DIMINISH DURING THE EARLY MORNING
HOURS.
CLEAR SKIES SUNDAY WILL ALLOW FOR IDEAL MIXING INTO A LINGERING 20
TO 25 KT LOW LEVEL JET DURING THE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON.
THUS GUSTY CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY RESUME AFTER SUNRISE.
EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH
TUE. MVFR OR LOWER CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE WED WITH THE NEXT
STORM SYSTEM. VFR CONDITIONS WILL RETURN FOR THE END OF THE WEEK.
&&
.MARINE...
S/SW WINDS CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE IN RESPONSE TO PERSISTENT/STRONG
PRESSURE FALLS INLAND. CONTINUED THE GALE WARNING FOR CHS HARBOR
UNTIL 11 PM...AND UPGRADED SCAS TO GALE WARNINGS FOR ALL COASTAL
WATERS OUTSIDE THE HARBOR UNTIL 4 AM. POST COLD FROPA WINDS MAY
DIMINISH BELOW GALE FORCE...BUT CONFIDENCE REMAINS LOW IN THIS
TIMING...AS THE DEEPENING SURFACE LOW MAY CONTINUE TO SUPPORT
GALE FORCE GUSTS INTO SUNDAY MORNING.
CONDITIONS WILL GRADUALLY IMPROVE SUNDAY MORNING...AND ALL
ADVISORIES FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS WILL END BY NOON. OFFSHORE
GEORGIA MAY SEE MARGINAL SCA CONDITIONS INTO THE AFTERNOON
HOURS...MAINLY IN SEAS.
AFTER A LULL IN WINDS/SEAS SUNDAY EVENING...12Z GUIDANCE CONTINUES
TO INSIST THAT THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL TIGHTEN ON THE
S/SE PERIPHERY OF THE SPRAWLING HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING DOWN THE
COAST...AND SCA WINDS/SEAS WILL LIKELY REDEVELOP ACROSS THE OUTER
GEORGIA WATERS OVERNIGHT. ACROSS NEARSHORE WATERS...NE WINDS 15-20
KT AND SEAS 3-5 FT WILL ALSO BECOME COMMON. THEN...THESE ELEVATED
WINDS/SEAS WILL PERSIST THROUGH MOST/ALL OF MONDAY...BEFORE HIGH
PRESSURE BECOMES CENTERED CLOSER TO THE COASTAL WATERS.
THEN...WINDS/SEAS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SCA THRESHOLDS MONDAY NIGHT
THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. THEN...S WINDS WILL SURGE INTO THE WATERS
AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WEDNESDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY
CONDITIONS WILL BECOME COMMON...AND GALES CANNOT BE RULED OUT.
THEN...WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE WEST WEDNESDAY NIGHT...AND SMALL
CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS SHOULD TAPER OFF THURSDAY.
&&
.CHS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 1 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR GAZ087-088-099>101.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR GAZ087-088-
099>101-114>119-137>141.
SC...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 1 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR SCZ040-042>045-047>051.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR SCZ040-042>045-
047>051.
MARINE...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 1 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR AMZ330-350-352.
GALE WARNING UNTIL 4 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR AMZ350-352-354-374.
GALE WARNING UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR AMZ330.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC 725 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008 GAZ114>119-137>141-161000- TATTNALL-EVANS-INLAND BRYAN-COASTAL BRYAN-INLAND CHATHAM- COASTAL CHATHAM-LONG-INLAND LIBERTY-COASTAL LIBERTY-INLAND MCINTOSH- COASTAL MCINTOSH- 725 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WIND ADVISORY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA TONIGHT. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT ACROSS SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...TO THE SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 16 UNTIL MIDNIGHT. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. SCZ045-161000- BERKELEY- 725 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...TORNADO WATCH 120 IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WIND ADVISORY. TORNADO WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AMZ350-352-161000- WATERS FROM SOUTH SANTEE RIVER TO EDISTO BEACH SC OUT 20 NM- WATERS FROM EDISTO BEACH SC TO SAVANNAH GA OUT 20 NM- 725 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EDT SUNDAY... ...TORNADO WATCH 120 IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. GALE WARNING. TORNADO WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AMZ354-374-161000- WATERS FROM SAVANNAH GA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GA OUT 20 NM...INCLUDING GRAYS REEF NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY- WATERS FROM SAVANNAH GA TO ALTAMAHA SOUND GA EXTENDING FROM 20 TO 60 NM- 725 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. GALE WARNING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...THUNDERSTORMS MAY AFFECT THE COASTAL WATERS...ESPECIALLY NORTH OF THE SAVANNAH RIVER...UNTIL 1 AM TONIGHT. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG WINDS EXCEEDING 50 KNOTS AND LARGE HAIL. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS...TV OR YOUR LOCAL NEWS SOURCE FOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. GAZ087-088-099>101-SCZ040-042>044-047>051-161000- JENKINS-SCREVEN-CANDLER-BULLOCH-EFFINGHAM-ALLENDALE-HAMPTON- INLAND COLLETON-DORCHESTER-INLAND JASPER-BEAUFORT-COASTAL COLLETON- CHARLESTON-COASTAL JASPER- 725 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...TORNADO WATCH 120 IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. WIND ADVISORY. TORNADO WATCH. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...AN INTENSIFYING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM... AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT AND A POTENT UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL COMBINE WITH STRONG WIND FIELDS AND AN UNSTABLE AIR MASS TO SUPPORT A SIGNIFICANT OUTBREAK OF SEVERE WEATHER...INCLUDING DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND TORNADOES...UNTIL MIDNIGHT. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS...TV OR YOUR LOCAL NEWS SOURCE FOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. AMZ330-161000- CHARLESTON HARBOR- 725 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008 ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...TORNADO WATCH 120 IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. GALE WARNING. TORNADO WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
852 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0825 PM TSTM WND DMG STRAWBERRY 33.09N 80.03W
03/15/2008 BERKELEY SC COUNTY OFFICIAL
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN AT THE STRAWBERRY HILL MOBIL HOME
PARK. POSSIBLE TORNADO.
0829 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 SW MONCKS CORNER 33.18N 80.04W
03/15/2008 BERKELEY SC COUNTY OFFICIAL
COUNTY WARNING POINT REPORTS A BOAT BLEW INTO THE PARKING
LOT OF ACTION ISLAND AUTO SALES.
&&
33PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
853 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0848 PM HAIL JOHNS ISLAND 32.72N 80.07W
03/15/2008 E1.00 INCH CHARLESTON SC TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
33PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
854 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0850 PM HAIL 1 NW FOLLY BEACH 32.67N 79.94W
03/15/2008 E0.88 INCH CHARLESTON SC TRAINED SPOTTER
NICKEL AND DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED BY A TRAINED SPOTTER
ALONG FOLLY RD.
&&
JPCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
900 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0854 PM HAIL JAMES ISLAND 32.73N 79.93W
03/15/2008 M0.88 INCH CHARLESTON SC TRAINED SPOTTER
NICKEL SIZE HAIL AT FOLLY ROAD AND FORT JOHNSON ROAD
&&
24PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
902 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0825 PM HAIL 15 W WALTERBORO 32.90N 80.93W
03/15/2008 E1.75 INCH COLLETON SC PUBLIC
GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL LASTED ABOUT 20 MINUTES ALONG HWY
64.
0850 PM HAIL WEST ASHLEY 32.80N 80.01W
03/15/2008 E0.75 INCH CHARLESTON SC PUBLIC
PENNY SIZED HAIL REPORTED OFF OF HWY 17 NEAR CAROLINA
BAY.
0845 PM HAIL JAMES ISLAND 32.73N 79.93W
03/15/2008 E0.88 INCH CHARLESTON SC PUBLIC
NICKEL SIZED HAIL AND TREES CLIPPED OFF AT TOPS NEAR THE
CHARLESTON MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE.
0848 PM HAIL JOHNS ISLAND 32.72N 80.07W
03/15/2008 E0.88 INCH CHARLESTON SC PUBLIC
NICKEL SIZED HAIL REPORTED ON PLOWGROUND RD.
&&
JPCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
909 PM EDT SAT MAR 15 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0808 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 E ISLANDTON 32.91N 80.90W
03/15/2008 COLLETON SC PUBLIC
AN OLD BARN COLLAPSED DUE TO THE STRONG WINDS.
&&
33The Charleston,SC radar (KCLX), 66 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:10 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 2 funnel cloud, 2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Tree limbs were reported down on power lines on Highway 301 North, 5 miles northeast of Statesboro, Georgia.
Screven County 911 relayed a public report of funnel clouds moving toward Rocky Ford, Georgia.
A post office employee reported a power line down in front of the Paradise Motel in Dover, Georgia.
A trained weather spotter reported a funnel cloud 2 miles east of Oliver, Georgia.
A trained weather spotter reported nickel sized hail in Clyo, Georgia.
An EF2 Tornado was confirmed by a Storm Survey conducted by the Charleston, South Carolina National Weather Service Forecast Office. The Tornado touched down in Effingham county 1 mile northeast of Springfield, Georgia at 934 PM EDT and traveled southeast approximately 7 miles before lifting at 943 PM EDT about 6 miles east-southeast of Springfield, Georgia. This Tornado destroyed three mobile homes, damaged three to four dozen homes, knocked down 15 high voltage transmission towers, destroyed or damaged 20 vehicles, destroyed numerous outbuildings, sheds, and barns. Five people were injured when the mobile home they were in was blown over and rolled a time or two. Another person was injured when they drove a car into a tree that had fallen across the road. This tornado was a quarter mile wide at its widest point when it crossed Ebenezer Road and had maximum sustained winds estimated between 110 and 120 mph.
A trained weather spotter reported trees down on Stillwell-Clyo Road near Logs Landing Road, 3 miles east-southeast of Clyo, Georgia.
An EF2 Tornado was confirmed by a Storm Survey conducted by the Charleston, South Carolina National Weather Service Forecast Office. The Tornado touched down in Effingham county 3.5 miles northeast of Rincon, Georgia and just northwest of the Georgia Power McIntosh Plant around 944 PM EDT and traveled southeast approximately a half a mile before lifting at 945 PM EDT. This Tornado destroyed a water cooling tower, damaged another water cooling tower and several buildings, toppled two high voltage transmission towers, knocked down or uprooted several dozen trees, tossed tractor trailer cargo containers with equipment inside up to 100 yards. In addition, at the time of the survey one of the tractor trailer containers could not be found. A steel hoist roof assembly weighing a couple thousand pounds used to load and unload heavy items was tossed 100 feet. This tornado was up to 100 yards wide and had maximum sustained winds estimated between 120 and 130 mph.
A public report of quarter sized hail was received in Port Wentworth, Georgia.
A public report of golf ball sized hail was reported in Rincon, Georgia.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Georgia, 2008Warnings in Georgia, March 2008
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 90616, 90566, 90618, 90571, 90574, 90599, 90621, 90612, 90580, 90581.